


Redemption

by jelenaRusso



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Andromeda is a death eater and spy for hogwarts, Black Family Feels (Harry Potter), Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Death Eater Andromeda Black, Death Eaters, F/M, First fanfic I've written, Gen, Horcruxes, Potions Mistress, Professor Black, Sirius Black Lives, Slytherin, Slytherins Being Slytherins, Snape and Andromeda friendship, The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, Unforgivable Curses (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:13:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28853364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jelenaRusso/pseuds/jelenaRusso
Summary: ‘Like what? Like a death eater?’Andromeda stuttered, because that was what she was, albeit an unwilling one, who was only in the position as Dumbledore's spy.Sirius grabbed her hand suddenly, rolling up the sleeve to expose the ugly, dark mark on her skin. He then rolled up his own and started to laugh.‘There, Andi? How are we the same? How are we on the same side?’
Relationships: Antonin Dolohov/Andromeda Black(past), Bellatrix Black Lestrange & Narcissa Black Malfoy & Andromeda Black Tonks, Sirius Black & Andromeda Black Tonks
Comments: 8
Kudos: 24





	1. A reunion(of sorts)

Chapter one: A reunion (of sorts)

‘Sirius,’ she said coolly. On the inside, she was breaking. Her cousin in the flesh and yet, this was not Sirius. This haggard, haunted man was not the carefree, rebellious younger cousin she remembered.

  
‘Andromeda.’ If her last name wasn’t Black, he wouldn’t have said her first name. In his world, she was black, the dark that had earned him twelve years in hell and the loss of his true brother, James Potter. She didn’t think of Regulus, his courage, that he was Sirius’s brother by blood.

‘Heard you teach at Hogwarts,’

‘I do.’

‘My godson doesn’t think much of you,’

‘Potter loathes me. The feeling is mutual.’

‘How did you get in, Andi? Being a death eater and all? How did you, a marked death eater get out of Azkaban in a few weeks, when, I, who wasn’t even marked, was chucked in without trial?’ He spat; his tone cold.

Andromeda wasn’t fazed. ‘Dumbledore.’ Was all she said. He knew better than to argue against that.

‘I hate this house,’ he said, a few seconds later. Andromeda agreed. Number twelve had never been particularly cheerful.

‘Its ironic that our headquarters will be in one of the dark family homes.’ She whispered.

‘Yes, our headquarters. And my house.’

‘Don't rub it in, Sirius.’

‘Oh, Andi I’ve waited for a year to say that to you. Perfect Black daughter and yet, the house is mine!’

‘When are the Weasley’s arriving?’

‘Why?’

‘To practice my crucio, of course.’

It was a few days after Potter had arrived at number twelve and Andromeda walked into the house, passing her aunt's portrait and the ghastly house elf heads. They had already finished most of the curse breaking aspect in cleaning but there were still loads of dangerous artifacts lying around. Sirius had made it some sort of goal to have screaming matches with the portraits and to clear the house of every reminder that there had been Blacks living here once.

Today, the Weasleys, Potter and Granger were clearing out an old cabinet with the help of Sirius, who was throwing the not needed or in his opinion, nearly everything. Then he threw a photograph into his sack and Andromeda walked towards him.

'Sirius, you can't keep throwing everything. Whose photo was that?'

The Weasleys and Granger looked at her oddly. Surely they knew she and Sirius were cousins? How many people still had the last name Black?

'Why do you care, Andromeda? This isn't your house.' The prat was rubbing it in again.

She snatched the sack from him, and pulled out the photograph, one of her aunt and uncle.

'Surely Sirius, throwing away their pictures won't change your last name.'

He didn't answer, looking a lot like a student in trouble and then plunged his hands into his pockets. Andromeda rummaged even further through the bag, pulling out two Order of Merlin, second class, a heavy decor piece, painted beautifully but Andromeda let that be in the sack. Her older sister was beautiful as well, and she was nothing if not deadly. There were two more photos, one of Bellatrix and one of Orion Black. The Bellatrix one had been taken when Andromeda's sister was around ten, probably for Yule or something. She was wearing light blue, which didn't suit her dark features at all and she was slightly smiling. Not the way Andromeda remembered or the dangerous smirk she put on, she was smiling in a nice way, in a not the right hand of the Dark Lord way.

'Throw away all your family photos if you want but at least leave mine. And Regulus's. If you don't remember him, well he has cousins who do.'

He just looked at her, like he was still trying to figure out what had happened.

The rest of them continued and Andromeda helped as well. It would have been a relaxing task of it weren't for the nature of her family. Honestly, robes that tried to strangle you in a house where two boys grew up?

They found another photo album and Potter seemed strangely interested. Sirius indulged in just for his godson, and joined Andromeda in pointing out names and familiar faces.

'That one is my sister Narcissa, now Malfoy….'

'Wait, you're related to the Malfoys?' That was an indignant Potter.

Sirius nodded delicately.

'Then Professor, Malfoy is your nephew?'

'Yes, he is, though we aren't close, so you can stop thinking on possible theories.'

That shut everyone for a while. They found another picture of Sirius and Andromeda. She was thirteen or fourteen, wearing deep blue robes and dancing with Sirius, who looked really handsome. Sirius hadn't reached his growth spurt yet, so she was an inch or two taller than him and his attempts at being the lead weren't going well. He was trying to twirl her around, a smile playing on his lips.

Harry laughed.

'My potions professor and my godfather!'

'Harry, put it off, they're first cousins.' Granger interjected, but she was also trying hard not to smile.

'Well, incest isn't new for the Blacks,' Sirius said in a trace of his old humour and Andromeda smacked him on the head.

The twins wolf whistled and she glared at them, which immediately stopped the whistling.

There was another of a nine year old Regulus and eleven year old, very excited Sirius. Sirius looked at it for a long while, before shifting to the next page. No one asked who it was, because they'd all grasped that this wasn't the time for it.

'Is that Professor Black?' Granger asked a few minutes later, pointing at a picture of Bellatrix and Sirius. He glanced at Andromeda, as if to say, your insane sister, you answer.

'No, that's my elder sister.'

'Oh, she looks a lot like you, Professor. Where is she now?' Granger asked, seemingly oblivious to the status of the house she was currently residing in. Walburga Black could have had kittens rather than

allow a muggle born in her house.

'She is in Azkaban.' Sirius said brusquely. He'd always admired Bellatrix, even before Hogwarts, till nearly his third year. Now? If he could change his last name, he would do it gladly. Andromeda knew

he knew that she knew and so he was looking at the floor instead.

'Wait a second, is that Bellatrix Lestrange?' Potter asked, shocked.

'Yes.'

'You're related to Death Eaters?'

'Harry haven't you seen enough of my family to know they weren't on our side?'

'Is it just Bellatrix or the rest of the family?' Potter asked and the Weasley twins visibly perked up.

Sirius glanced at her, then at the album and finally his gaze landed on a distinct spot behind his godson.

'Just Bellatrix. And my brother.'

‘She’s staying for dinner, apparently,’ The bushy haired muggle born was saying as Andromeda entered number twelve’s kitchen.

The girl started and mumbled something but Andromeda didn’t particularly care. Potter was staring at her, and Weasley’s ears were pink. They didn’t particularly like or hate her, so it was safe to assume that she had been the main topic of whatever new mystery they had decided needed solving.

‘Where’s Sirius?’ she asked.

‘In his room, I think.’

Andromeda nodded, and proceeded up the stairs for the first time in years. She didn't hear the high pitched laughter of two young boys or the reprimanding shrieks of her aunt. The little note on Regulus’s door brought a pang of grief but apart from that, she didn’t see any of her ghosts here. She didn’t see her sisters, or parents, or friends. She didn’t see dead ghosts, no, she came face to face with a living one.

Sirius.

‘What do you want?’ he asked, hand on the door knob. She idly wondered if he’d shut the door on her face or hex her first.

‘Can’t we just talk?’

‘But that would be too muggle for your tastes, don't you think? How about those crucios you wanted to practice?’

‘As long as you’re ready for target practice.’

He scoffed and repeated his first question.

‘Talk with my darling cousin, of course.’

Strangely, he didn’t protest, but allowed her in. The room was Gryffindor in every aspect, from that motorbike manual to the photos of muggle girls.

‘You certainly have taste in home décor, Sirius.’

‘Thanks.’

She sat on the edge of the bed, looking up at the picture of his friends- including the rat. The rest of the room was predictably messy and there was a smaller photograph on the table.

‘Is that Potter?’

‘Yeah, that’s Harry.’

‘Sirius, I'm on your side. A member of the order of the phoenix. You don't need to look at me like that.’

‘Like what? Like a death eater?’

Andromeda stuttered, because that was what she was, albeit an unwilling one, who was only in the position as Dumbledore's spy.

He grabbed her hand suddenly, rolling up the sleeve to expose the ugly, dark mark on her skin. He then rolled up his own and started to laugh.

And Black was standing in the middle of the street, just laughing, the newspapers had reported.

‘There, Andi? How are we the same? How are we on the same side?’

What the hell could she say to that? What could she say when the mark was branded on her skin, clear as daylight?

Andromeda wanted to tell him she regretted joining, that she was lonely, and scared that He would find out about her double crossing, that she needed someone left from her family. She didn't want regrets, she wanted to live, not prove her loyalties all the time.

‘You know what I am doing, Sirius. You know why, as well.'

‘But I don't trust you, anyway.'

'Why not? How many times do I have to prove my loyalties before you people understand? I didn't deny anything I did. I didn't blame anyone for my mistakes either, I've accepted them.'

'You're too close to Bella,' was all he said.

'I haven't seen her face in nearly fourteen years! And that's really hypocritical of you, Sirius when your own brother was a Death Eater!'

The last jab was cheap because apart from Dumbledore, she was the only one who knew why Regulus had died. And it was cheap because, she remembered a time when Sirius had had a brother.

Apparently Sirius remembered it too.

'He was just an idiot, too soft to go against our parents, stupid enough to join Voldemort and then try to get out. '

Andromeda didn't tell him that there was a time when she had wanted out too, but resignation wasn't an option with the Dark Lord. At that moment she was just purely angry.

'You'll never understand how it is. And well, if this is how we're going to be, then there's no reason to prove myself to you. Good night, Sirius.'

The little bitch had arrived.

Dolores Jane Umbridge in all her pink cardigan glory had entered Andromeda's potions classroom. The little cough preceded her speech.

'Your credentials, Professor?'

Ah.

'I have the required academic qualifications, including an O in my NEWTS for Potions, Herbology, Defence, and Charms. Anything else you need?'

'Your age on joining?'

'24.'  
'And what occupation were you in for those seven years?'

'I don't see how that's relevant to my teaching credentials. As you might recall, there was a war going on.'

'Nevertheless, we require a thorough check of your background.' This was followed by a sickening smile. Andromeda fought the urge to vomit and coolly replied.

'I was part of the War,'

'Oh, of course, it's just that your family is known for a lot of things, Professor Black.'

'My last name has nothing to do with my teaching standards.'

'I wasn't insinuating anything, Professor.'

'Best you don't then,' The words were out before she could think.

Umbridge hem hemmed and then went on to question Parvati Patil.

'Professor Black,' Parvati said. 'Is a very good teacher.'

'Oh really, Miss Patil? You have not faced any difficulties despite the fact that Professor Black has several close family ties to criminals.'

'I don't see how that gets into potions, Professor.' Parvati said and Andromeda felt a strange gush of pride towards her student. Though she knew they were only supporting her because they hated the little toad more than her, there was some satisfaction in it the same.

Umbridge's glare on the bell ringing made the rest of the day for Andromeda.

'Narcissa.'

Andromeda was standing in the foyer of Malfoy Manor, wand in hand, and staring eye to eye with her younger sister, Narcissa Malfoy. She hadn't had contact with her sister for nearly thirteen years despite being free and now, as the Dark Lord had risen again, Lucius Malfoy had initiated contact with her and a sister who probably wanted nothing to do with Andromeda. Lucius had, as usual, overdone himself in grandeur, the walls were decorated with dozens of portraits and ornate pieces, the carpet was plush and beautiful, and Narcissa's dress was just a complement. Their son was at Hogwarts, and while she had never cared much for him, her brother in law was on the board of governors, so she did put on an appearance. After all, she was also the head of Slytherin.

'How's it going?'

'Good. Your son does fine in classes.' Andromeda said.

'I didn't ask about your teaching career, Andi.'

'Since when do you care, Cissy? We've gone nearly thirteen years without any contact between us. Now that the Dark Lord has come back,my darling sister and brother in law want to see me?'

'I have cared. All this time. You and Bella, you never remembered me.'

'Well you have a weird way of showing it.' Andromeda said, her wand still gripped tightly.

'I've even taught your son for four years and still, you never came forward. Does Draco even know I'm his aunt?'

'Of course he does!' Narcissa said indignantly.

'Its just that he doesn't look like he knows.'

Narcissa didn't reply and instead sat on a sofa. She looked beautiful, even at nearly thirty-seven, with her gold hair and almost porcelain features. Narcissa didn't ask her to sit, she just cupped her face in her hands till Lucius Malfoy entered.

'Miss Black.'

'I prefer Andromeda, Malfoy.'

'As you say, Andromeda.'

'Again, why have you called me after nearly thirteen years? I'm guessing that this has something to do with the Dark Lord?'

'If you want to get straight to the point, yes.'

'Andi, don't look at me like that. You know how it was after the War, Lucius had to plead imperius, and it was unsafe to contact you, and well, you weren't any better, were you? You were under

Dumbledore in his damn school and got out of Azkaban due to him? We all thought you'd gone over to the other side.' Her sister cut in.

'No ones asking you for excuses, Narcissa.' Andromeda said. She didn't want to get into the logistics of her spying.

Lucius gave a strained smile and clasped his hands together.

'The Dark Lord is planning to get our members out of Azkaban, including Bellatrix.'

Andromeda blinked.

Was this for real? What would happen to her double agenting, if Bella was out? She, who, knew Andromeda better than anyone. But Merlin, she would see her sister again, she would have her family in some way or the other. And Antonin…..

Bella was getting out.

But the question was, how much of Andromeda's sister was still left after nearly thirteen long years in Azkaban?

Later, that night, she was reminded of her early days as a Death Eater, when they'd had raids and attacks. She remembered looking on as the Dark Mark was flared into the sky, the green snake slithering, the smoke. Andromeda remembered gripping her wand right, the taste of a crucio on her lips, the screams that rented the air, the jets of green light on her first raid.

She had heard Bella cackling then, as a muggle girl bled to death and ignored it.

She remembered practising the killing curse in dark rooms, remembered feeling sick on seeing a mangled corpse, remembered the euphoria rushing through her on getting the Avada Kedavra right and then feeling sick for it. Andromeda remembered kissing Antonin Dolohov in a dark street, his breath warm on her skin, his fingers lacing her waist. She remembered another boy she'd kissed. Ted Tonks, a muggle born, a fleeting romance in her fourth year, she'd been nearly withdrawn for. Her mother had slapped her, stinging and sharp, her father had made his displeasure quite evident, Bella hadn't believed her at first but she remembered her rage on getting to know the truth. She had been livid, clutching Andromeda's hand tight, her nails digging deep enough to draw blood. Bella had screamed at her about honor and the name Black, and Sirius who'd always been the Blacks black sheep, had grinned and said she'd got a spine at last. Andromeda had had it all straight then, and even till Regulus's death, the prejudices inscribed in her head from that summer had stood sharp. Till her youngest cousin's death, Andromeda had wavered through it all, even when the Dark Lord had tortured her own sister, even when she'd seen arrogant and brash Bellatrix Lestrange, cower at his feet. She'd gone with it, believed it was for the good of the wizarding community, till learning on the Horcruxes.

But she'd just continued, Avada Kedavras left and right, in nearly all her raids. The others had their curses, Antonin's being the purple organ crushing one, and well, her sister had always liked to play a bit before complete destruction but Andromeda preferred the killing curse. Simple but sharp. She regretted ignoring Bella's urges now, her obsession with the Dark Lord.

She woke up with the memory of being on the receiving end of a crucio, a scream dying on her lips.

In Andromeda's second year, Bellatrix had snuck into her dorms from her third year one, and snuggled up next to her, crying silently. Andromeda had been too sleepy then to register the words in her mind properly, but years later those words were almost prophetic in nature.

'I had a dream,' she had said. 'I had a dream where I went to Azkaban…'

She buried her face in Bella's neck, tears streaming down her face, because it goddamn hurt to see her elder sister in the flesh, to see the hollow cheeks, the jutting bones, her eyes hard like she had lived a hundred years of misery. She put a hand around Andromeda shoulders and just mumbled a few words of nonsense before withdrawing. Was this the sister Andromeda had vowed dead? Then why did she want to see her so bad, to just sit next to her, hear her voice?

Bellatrix stood tall, her once sleek and shiny hair, a dangerous, mad mess. She was wearing black, her wand held high, her yellowish teeth on display but she wasn't smiling, no. Azkaban had taken that away from her and replaced it with a predatory, maniacal snarl. There, Andromeda, she said to herself. That snarl is what is left of your sister.

The Dark Lord was standing beside her, a faint trace of actual glee on his reptilian face as he began to speak.

'My most loyal and faithful servants, who come from a most noble and ancient family, who have served me with their utmost dedication, have returned from their exile. Now that our ranks have risen once more, that our foundations are stronger, we must accomplish the goal. Another of my faithful Death Eaters, my faithful spy at Hogwarts- will be helping me to befuddle the old fool Dumbledore, and I shall obtain the weapon I need….'


	2. Memory

Chapter Two: The memory

Neville Longbottom was not the only one to look at her alarmingly. Ever since Bellatrix and the others escape had featured in the newspapers, Andromeda's resemblance to her sister had done her no favours. The little toad had started trying to slip in her family's history in Defence classes, so much that she was forced to address the issue in her Potions classes.

'Before we start this class,' Andromeda said.

'I would like to make certain things very clear. Yes, Bellatrix Lestrange is my sister and yes,Sirius Black is my cousin, and no, I have zero information on where they are or what they're doing and do remember before you start any unnecessary rumours that I haven't seen my cousin or sister in nearly fourteen years, that is, from their imprisonment to their escape. And I will not tolerate anyone ratting on this at all. Get it?'

That only sparked the Hogwarts rumour mill.

And wait, now she had to teach Potter occlumency?

'Bella? Are you there?'

A cloaked figure emerged from the darkness, and the hood fell, revealing Andromeda's elder sister. Andromeda's wand was at Bellatrix's neck.

'What colour was your first Ball gown?'

The question was silly, but the only people who knew the answers were her late parents and younger sister. And maybe Sirius.

Bellatrix grimaced. 'Pink,'

Andromeda giggled despite herself.

'Oh, shut it, Andromeda.'

'Sorry, had to check. What did you call me for?'

'I met up with Cissy.'

'What did she say?' Andromeda asked coldly.

'Nonsense, that's what! I told her that the Ministry has already started to fall, that it's just a matter of time for victory. I stressed that she might like to get Draco inducted, but by Merlin, she's afraid of the possibility! If I had sons I would be proud! An honour, and she doesn't understand. And you should see the son, I suppose you teach him, don't you? Looks just like Malfoy, not a trace of the Black blood. Pathetic is what the Malfoys are! If Regulus was alive, then Lucius would have never risen up this far. By Merlin, the name Black has gone down to muck. And you as well, Andi! A Hogwarts professor?'

'Did you just call me to bitch on Narcissa?'

'No. I called to talk about you. What you are doing. The Dark Lord said that you are part of the old fool's vigilante group; that you're spying for us. I don't like it.' She seemed child like, the way she said the last sentence. Her eyes were still glittering madly, but there was something else in her words. Did Bellatrix not believe her? Bella had always known her best, had pushed her to join, had pushed her to accepting the Dark Arts, had pushed her to shun muggle borns, reintroduced the word mudbloods on her tongue, brought the crucios on her lips. But she had also played matchmaker when Andromeda had had a crush on Will, she had done her hair, smuggled them red wine in the dorms, let her into her bed if she had nightmares, danced with her, cried into her shoulder, and been the centre of her world for so long.

There were two sides to Bella, on her wrong side, she wasn't quite sane. Bella had also threatened to kill Ted Tonks once, she had tortured Andromeda's student's parents to insanity, she had also murdered so many, and a small part of Andromeda felt that Bellatrix would kill her gladly if the Dark Lord ordered it. But if her sister found out the truth herself…..

She could go with it like the time she'd been caught with Ted, but that Bella could be called gentle by her present standards. Now?

Bella wouldn't harm her, would she?

'I don't like it either,' Andromeda said, hoping her voice didn't sound doubtful.

Bellatrix bit her lip slightly and said. 'But you have to do it anyway. I know you Andi, don't think I'm suspecting you or something. I just hate that you're slumming it as a teacher, with the half blood brats and by Merlin, mudbloods. And potions as well! I thought you never liked the subject.'

'I still don't. But the DADA position is cursed. The only other free subject was muggle studies.'

Her sister grimaced again. 'Bloody Dumbledore.' she mumbled.

'Again, how's it with Dolohov?' Bellatrix asked, grinning, the humor not reaching her wasted face.

'That was nearly fifteen years ago!'

Before Azkaban, Bella might have winked. Now she didn't.

'And Cissy. I take it you haven't had much contact with her?'

'Not till a few months back, to be honest.' Andromeda said, inwardly sighing with relief. She had been afraid that Bella would question her about her spying or how she'd got out of Azkaban. Or why

Dumbledore had chosen Andromeda.

'Really? What were you doing, all these years without meeting up with your sister, Andi?'

'We had our reasons, Bellatrix.'

'That's no excuse. But if you felt it was right, then, what's there to say? Anyways, what happened to Grimmauld Place?'

'Sirius is still the family heir, Bella. I can't get into the place.' She lied. Sirius was still the heir officially but it wasn't like she couldn't get in.

'It's a disgrace, that they pull up his name into our escape. He doesn't deserve to be the heir, the little blood traitor. And I've heard people calling him the Lord's right hand! A disgrace to the family name is what he was, from the day he got sorted into Gryffindor.'

Andromeda nodded vaguely. Bellatrix had always liked Sirius the most, and his Sorting and betrayal was something she would never accept. Instead she separated him from the cousin she remembered, made him into a nameless enemy so she wouldn't hesitate to kill Sirius if needed. And if Andromeda was being honest, wasn't that what Sirius did too? Trying to forget his last name, his Dark, dysfunctional family.

Would Bella do the same to her, too?

‘Potter,’ she acknowledged.

‘I’m ready, Professor Black.’ He said, so politely it was sarcastic. How did it matter? It was mutual dislike.

‘On the count of three,’ she said and whispered the word, legilimiens.

She was being chased by a dog, scampering, staring jealously at a fat boy, now she was in a dark, dank room, with Salazar’s imperial statue in the background, a little red haired girl on the floor and suddenly her office had turned cold, and chilly- dementors, she remembered, they had come for her cousin, Sirius, who also happened to be Potter’s godfather. The memories turned into her own, twelve year old Sirius looking at her in awe, the only time he’d played a prank on her at Hogwarts, Bella and her fighting. No, she really didn’t want Potter to see those, no, no, the Dark Lord, no, no, the only muggle girl she’d bludgeoned ever, blood…

Somehow Andromeda stopped the connection. Potter was looking at her weirdly, and who was she to blame him?

‘I think that is enough for today.’ She managed. He didn’t argue.

Andromeda sighed as he left. Occlumency with Potter was always a pain.

'Andromeda, if I hear one word from my godson on your Occlumency sessions…'

'Honestly, Sirius, I'm not Umbridge. I'm not going to torture him or something. And you can tell Weasley to shut it on the conspiracy theories, by the way.'

Weasley's ears were pink when she left.

The D.A. Dumbledore’s Army.

Potter just couldn't lay low, could he, the little brat?

They were in her office, in the middle of one of their Occlumency sessions and Potter was clutching his wand, panting.

'Relax, Potter.' Andromeda said idly. 'I'm not going to rat your little insurgents out.'

'Professor Black?' He looked surprised.

'What? I hate Umbridge even more than you do. And anyway, does the headmaster know?'

'I er, don't think so.' he said sheepishly.

'Fine. Let's try again, shall we? If I can say so, Potter your last attempt was pretty good.'

'Oh, thanks, Professor.' Again, he looked surprised.

Before she could say the incantation though, Draco had burst in.

'Draco?'

She and her nephew were on better terms now as evident by him starting with, 'Aunt Andromeda,' but Draco quickly rectified himself.

'Professor Black, they found Montague in that Vanishing Cabinet.'

Ah, the other big problem. Montague's parents would be furious if she didn't personally go to see him in the Hospital Wing, so she followed Draco out, completely forgetting the memories swirling around the pensieve.

Meanwhile, Harry Potter had somehow, found himself in Andromeda Black's memories of a death eater raid.

Harry found himself in somewhere that looked like Diagon Alley, with lots of shops, but it was dark and there was a full moon shining. Fireworks lit up the sky for a few moments before an array of Death Eaters arrived.

From then on it was chaos.

Being Andromeda's memory, he was on her heels as she fired curse on curse, as a shop exploded, as someone screamed into the night. She looked younger, her eyes brighter, her hair shiny, a small smile playing on her lips There was the crack of apparation and Harry looked on in awe as the first Order of the phoenix entered. Spells were flying, people were dodging and firing, Harry watched as one of the Order members fell down and didn't get up.

Andromeda was now duelling a red haired man. He was taller than her, with a carefree smile and a handsome face and was taunting her, even as she ducked undernath a green light that was probably an Avada Kedavra.

'Feeling really Slytherin, Black? Running away?'

'Course not, you overconfident bastard. Don't think too much of yourself.'

Her hood was out, her dark brown hair flying as she shot another curse Harry didn't recognise. He just stared as they duelled like nothing he had seen before- this was to the death. And through all this, they were still taunting each other.

'Oh, just die, won't you?' he heard Andromeda cry out a few minutes later but Harry had just got a glimpse of another red haired man somewhere else who looked a lot like the man Andromeda was duelling. Could they be-

Fabian and Gideon Prewett- fought like heroes, smiling in the first Orders pictures…..

Harry was slightly distracted by trying to look for his parents but it looked like this was sometime after Andromeda had graduated, so his parents might be in their last year.

Another scream distracted him. A woman was on the floor, in obvious agony and then a jolt passed through him as he caught sight of a tall woman with heavily lidded eyes, hair that had once been sleek and shiny. Bellatrix Lestrange was laughing, laughing as the woman screamed and Harry shivered. Andromeda popped next to her sister with a familiar crack and Harry just looked on as Bellatrix smiled her maniacal, crazy little snarl and Andromeda didn't say anything.

Something exploded in the background.

The scene was slightly blurring and now Harry found himself next to Andromeda, and she was duelling the red headed man once again.

'Crucio,' she muttered and it worked.

'There,' she said in a matter of fact voice, that scared Harry. 'How did that feel, Prewett?'

So it was a Prewett.

'Black!' Prewett snarled and through some insane amount of strength, he shot a reducto.

Andromeda wisely ducked but Prewett had risen once again and they were back to that same dangerous rhythm of curses back and forth. A deep gash cut into Andromeda's cheek, blood flowing from the cut, but she didn't stop casting.

'Why, why Andromeda, did your Master not teach you to dodge?' A small sideway stinging hex punctuated this point.

'Nah,' she said, surprising Harry. 'He's taught us to finish the job.'

And Prewett was laughing like it was funny, but Andromeda's curse had got through to him before he could aptly respond.

Prewett was still laughing when he hit the ground.

The scene dissolved into another. This time they were in a plush room, and Andromeda was smiling charmingly as another familiar face left the house. Antonin Dolohov's face was not as twisted or pale as he looked in the Daily Prophet photos, in fact he could almost be called handsome. Andromeda watched as he apparated out, then returned upstairs to the bed and Harry felt another jolt of recognition on Bellatrix Lestrange sitting next to her sister.

'You did well,' she was saying. 'The Dark Lord will reward you for your efforts.'

'Bella?' Andromeda asked, visibly nervous.

'I've been meaning to ask, do you really believe the Dark Lord-'

But on what Harry never got to know because he was rolling out of the pensieve and onto the cold floor of Andromeda Black's office.

The present aged Andromeda Black was standing in front of him, dangerously quiet, her wand clutched in that death grip, like she always did. Perhaps Harry understood why now.

'So. Potter,' she said, her voice, startlingly soft.

'Which memory did you see?'

'Professor, I'm really sorry, I just kinda er-' he was cut short and Andromeda repeated her earlier question.

'It was a er, Death Eater raid, you were there and you um, killed a red headed man called Prewett.'

She didn't answer, just stood there her lips slightly parted, eyeing him warily.

'This, Potter will not be repeated ever. Get me? Ever. You will not speak of this to anyone, least of all to Ronald Weasley or Sirius.'

Her grey eyes met his and Harry reminded himself that she knew legilimency. He forced himself to nod and got up.

'I'm really sorry Professor….' he trailed away.

'No excuses, Potter. This will not be repeated and that's it. Now, get the fuck out of my office.'

Harry gasped slightly on hearing his Hogwarts Professor swearing and quickly scrambled out.

'Hey, Ron? Do you know anyone called Fabian Prewett?'

'Fabian Prewett? Actually, yeah, I do. But where did you hear that name?'

'Just in passing.'

'He's my uncle. My mum's brother. He died though, in the first war, him and his brother.'

Harry couldn't bring himself to look at Ron or Black for the rest of the day.


	3. Severus Snape

_Andromeda,_

_How's it going? Hope the brats aren't too much trouble._

_Well, this idyllic lifestyle does get a little too idyllic from time to time, but I'm also sure that this will be the last relaxation I shall get in a long, long time. Arsenius is as hospitable as ever, and Cecilia still thinks we are friends and Caradoc is in heartbreak over his last rejection by a French girl. Heard that your cousin is apparently the rallying point for all the Death Eater bandits, can't wait to see Black's face( Sirius, not you)_

_Pretty sure you're in a lot of confusion right now, mainly because of Bellatrix, I guess? All I can say is Andromeda, do what you think is right and not what the old coot tells you to. What about the Potter brats Occlumency? Does he have enough of a mind to look into?_

_Apart from my little inquires, on the professional side, I have managed to procure a slight immunity to Veritaserum but it is not very effective yet. I have also enclosed a copy of Occlumency techniques for some help. My recruiting has not gone that well, but there is progress and Dumbledore is happy with that. You might be interested to know that I might return to England the following week, due to some reasons. Dumbledore has apparently found a Horcrux, and he might need us for some urgent work._

_Now away from these befuddling matters of saving the world, how are you? Shockingly, I seem to have grown to care for you, all the same. Hope you are doing well, and do kick Black's face for me, will you?_

_Your friend,_

_Severus Snape_

_Severus,_

_Yes, I am doing fine and no, I can't kick Sirius for you. If you are coming back, than do let me know the date, it has been a while since I've had the opportunity to speak with a good friend._

_My classes are fine, the brats are manageable but Potter is a special case. He got into one of my memories stored in the Pensieve, for Merlin! That too of a Death Eater raid, And the one where I killed the Prewett._

_Yes, I met Bellatrix and I don't know what to do, Severus, the Dark Lord expects more and more, now that they are all back. On a side note, Barty Crouch Jr. was found dead by Rabastan. I personally think he killed Crouch- he's always been a bit off, I guess._

_Ever since their breakout from Azkaban, the staff has shunned me even more than before. Neville Longbottom, in particular, keeps glaring at me. I understand that what Bella did, it wasn't right, but I can't help it; I've been alone so long, that I've craved for her company to just see her face once. I tried to reconcile with Sirius ( though you might not like that) but all of them see me as my last name and the mark on my skin._

_Thanks for the book, and honestly Severus, you haven't even met the boy. He's not worse than pubescent Sirius, at any rate._

_For more pressing matters, that is the Horcrux issue, Dumbledore has proposed using the sword of Gryffindor. Apparently Potters little adventure in the Chamber of Secrets has impregnated it with basilisk venom. Well, I reckon we'll come to know in time._

_Regards,_

_Andromeda Black._

'Draco. Can you stay back a few minutes?' 

'Professor Black?' He was nearly as tall as her now,Andromeda noticed, his bag still slung on one shoulder. Potions was the last class, so he wouldn't be late for any class.

'I've been meaning to talk to you about, ah, something delicate, you can say. It might take some time.'

'Sure, no problem.'

'That's great. Do sit down.' Andromeda said, biting her lip again. She really needed to get rid of that habit.

'Have you met Bellatrix yet?'

'No, I've been at school.'

'All right. Well, Bella told me she met your mother and that she suggested getting you Marked. I hope you know that the Dark Lord has returned.'

'I do. Father said so.'

'Whatever Malfoy says. Now listen. I do not wish to see one more person of my family marked, but there will likely be pressure on you to join. I want you to say, a clear no, at least till you graduate. It is not worth it to get yourself inducted before coming of age. Get me?'

Draco narrowed his eyes.

'Why are you saying all this?'

'It is not worth it, Draco. It is not worth it to sacrifice your school years for a war you have no part in.'

'But it's _for_ us, isn't it? For the pure blood families, for the betterment of wizards and witches?'

'I am starting to question why you were ever sorted into Slytherin. Your mindset couldn't be more likely in a Hufflepuff-'

'Aunt Andromeda-'

'Listen to me.' Andromeda stressed on the me.

'That is just one small, small part of this War. This little,' she said, gesturing to the space between her two fingers.

'The bigger leverage on us all, is power. Power the Dark Lord wants, power the so called Light side wants, power the Ministry wants. Then there is peer pressure. Why do you think more than half of Slytherin is either a Dark wizard or related to one? Because we've always been ostracized from the others, painted as sneaky snakes who are evil. Another leverage. Profit is the next one. Galleons cannot be conjured now, can they? Politics will always play a role in business dealings. And who is in charge of our economy? Not wizards and witches, but _goblins_. There is a hierarchy everywhere, and you'd better remember that. Which is why, I'm saying, say a clear no, till you're seventeen. Learn to save your neck first, Draco. Easiest way in your life would be to not get involved into the War at all. This isn't a question of choice, don't think I'm with Dumbledore just because I work in his school. You have a side Draco, neutrality is not an option. So play wise, _think,_ before you do anything political. Both sides of your family are neck deep with the Dark Lord, so if you have a sudden affection for Potter, choose now.'

'Ugh, Potter! Of course I don't. But I reckon you're right. We have time.'

'That is nice to know. Thankfully you aren't as much as a dunderhead as my sister.' 

Dunderhead was straight out of Severus's vocabulary, but Draco wouldn't know that.

'My mother isn't a dunderhead!'

'Well, she married your father, what can I say?'

_Andromeda,_

_I am arriving at the 24th of this month, probably after sunset._

_Regards,_

_Severus_

Severus Snape didn't look much different, Andromeda mused. It had been nearly three years since he had faked his death and gone abroad, though he wasn't a Death Eater, it was still deemed unsafe for him to stay in Britain post Voldemort's resurrection, but this life seemed to have helped him rather than diminish him. He looked, for real, happy.

'Severus,' she said happily, and he put his hand in hers.

'It's nice to see you.'

'Ah, finally, good company.'

'And you better appreciate it.'

'Of course, Miss Black.'

'Don't call me that. Andromeda or Black is fine, but I suppose you prefer Black for Sirius?'

He nodded solemnly, and she looked on surprised, at this sporting sense of humour.

'So what do you say for lunch?'

'I don't want to go out, Severus. Everyone looks at me like I'm Bellatrix, and well, I can't blame them. I've done bad, bad things, but I can't take the face for Bella's as well.'

'And you call yourself the Potions Mistress.'

'I can't change my face if people don't like it, for Merlin's sake!'

'That's what the uglies say.'

'Oh shut up, Snape.'

'Andromeda, it's totally fine. We just go out, eat and come back. If anyone messes, well, I hope you have a few hexes ready.'

'I don't like it, all the same.' she said.

'Now, we don't have all day, Black.'

She did go out for lunch. She didn't hex anyone though.

The polyjuice had worn of on Severus, he shot back to his normal height and his hair was back to the lanky black strings they were. They were at Andromeda's office- she didn't have another house. Severus leisurely looked around the room, and finally settled down on a chair.

'Do we deal with the Horcrux today?' Andromeda asked, brushing her long hair into a passable braid. When she had been a student, she'd used a spell for it but now she couldn't remember the incantation.

'You could do with a comb, Severus,' she added.

He scoffed.

'Dumbledore says today evening, around seven. Funny thought, killing a piece of Voldemort's soul.'

'It would put up a tough fight, I'm sure.'

'Did you know,' he said softly. 'That Voldemort's real name was Tom Riddle?'

'Yes. When he was Tom Riddle, he came to our house once, back when I was barely thirteen. He seemed to have captivated my sister, even then. We heard him talk just once, and he had a really charming way with words.'

'He looked handsome then, I think.' She added as an afterthought.

'I am sure he did,'

'It's weird, I never connected Riddle with the Dark Lord before Dumbledore mentioned it. It's strange, that.'

'Speaking of Dumbledore, the man is up to something.'

'And what makes you think that?' she asked, settling on a chair across him.

'Just the way he talks. But I don't think it's good, at any rate.'

Andromeda just watched on as the black stone cracked into two, an angry hissing issuing from it.

'Why on earth, Dumbledore,' Severus was saying.

'Would you try to put that thing on? Surely you knew that it was cursed. You were lucky that me and Andromeda were here when you carried out this little experiment.'

Dumbledore looked around calmly, his eyes not twinkling for a rare moment.

'A mistake, my little ideas….'

'Honestly, Dumbledore, do put off your little ideas till the War ends.'

Dumbledore chuckled and looked at Andromeda.

'How is Harry's Occlumency going?'

'He is doing better. But I've told you over and over about this, I'm not a good teacher for Occlumency. You should teach him.'

'Voldemort makes it all harder, Andromeda. And Severus, I want you to meet Horace, before you leave England. He has some very important information on one Tom Riddle and a Horcrux…..'

The pink cardigan clad bitch had now become the esteemed Headmistress of Hogwarts.

Andromeda sighed in frustration when she entered the class. Dumbledore had disappeared somewhere and naturally, Potter had been involved.

'Today,' she started. 'We will be brewing a Night Vision potion, which is easily the simplest of this year's curriculum. Therefore, seeing as we have double Potions today, you will also be starting the preparation of the Monolinx potion, used to heal certain deficiencies.'

The students bustled on, lighting cauldrons, and chopping chives and measuring the amount of Norith seeds. Potter was next to Granger and Weasley, his book open on the table while Granger mumbled something to Weasley. The class proceeded smoothly for once and no one erupted in boils or turned their hair green.

She was almost happy for a second before she remembered that they had a staff meeting that day. With the toad.

'My Lord,' Andromeda said, kneeling onto the carpet of Avery's manor. Her mask was off, so her hair trailed down her back as she knelt. The others stood in a circle, looking on as she started to speak.

'Potter has a natural resistance to Legilimency, but very little. If the emotions are strong enough, than the barriers can be easily overtaken. But this latest idea, I'm sorry to say, Lord, but I don't believe it can work. Potter knows that Sirus is my cousin and if he sees such a vision, he would most probably contact me first.'

The red eyes gazed into her own and Andromeda stared right back without blinking, breathing slow, deep, breaths. He nodded lightly, apparently pleased.

'What you say, Andromeda, it is prudent. You are right in that estimation. Perhaps you could catch the boy then, but no, the Ministry has blocked the Floo, has it not?'

Andromeda nodded, still on the floor, her eyes still on the Dark Lord, who was fingering his wand in his long, pale fingers.

'But Umbridge's would, would it not? You could request her, maybe?'

'She doesn't like me.' Andromeda said, grimacing.

'Her one great love is the Ministry, and my sister and cousin are Azkaban escapees. She's been trying to get me fired, really.'

'I see. Anyone else the boy holds dear?'

'His friends,' she supplied. 'But that would be improbable.'

'Perhaps a vision of Dumbledore calling him to the Ministry?' someone else suggested.

'He would contact McGonagall for that.' she said.

'At any rate, we could do this with a Portkey in Hogsmeade, I suppose? Yes, that could work. You, Andromeda, could….'

'So he's gonna try to get Harry in Hogsmeade, you say?' Sirius asked, his dark hair falling in his eyes as he mused this over.

Andromeda nodded, looking at the Gryffindor scarf tied on one side of the bed. The scarlet and gold cloth was faded now, but it still stood out on the silver of the sheets.

Sirius and Andromeda hadn't had another conversation since the last one or the Occlumency threats. But Dumbledore was Merlin knew were, so the only person she could go to was Sirius.

'Well, you'll have to go along, won't you? If you want your life and all, eh?'

'That doesn't help, Sirius.' 

'Nice to know you have a conscience, Andi.'

'Don't call me that.' she snapped angrily.

'Oh?' he teased. 'Andi, darling,'

'You've lost the right to call me that, long ago. So shut up.'

'Why, is that something only your sisters can call you? What were the names, again? Ah, Bella, Andi and Cissy! Am I right, baby?' He put on a roguish smile and winked.

Andromeda didn't see the humour.

'What? I know you've met Bellatrix and Narcissa and probably bitched about me a bit.'

'You just don't understand, do you? How would you feel if this was about Regulus? How would you feel if Lupin still thinks you are a Death Eater, that you got James Potter killed? It's not funny, it's my fucking life that's on the line, not yours! You are all safe and sound, aren't you, in this house, you coward-'

'Don't you fucking dare Andromeda!' Sirius shouted.

'Dare? Of course I dare! You've been throwing all that dirt on my face!'

'What dirt, huh? What dirt? Dirt you piled upon yourself by joining Voldemort! And don't fucking bring Regulus into this. He's dead, for Merlin's sake!'

'Is that what this is about? Me bringing Regulus's name? Well, darlin', sorry to break this to you, but you knew nothing about him. You were only there for barely fourteen years of his life!'

'Regulus is fucking dead!'

'Exactly! Your sibling is dead but mine are not.'

'Well, your _sisters_ are better off dead.'

'You take that back, Sirius.' Andromeda said, gritting her teeth angrily.

'Like hell I will! You think Bella cares for you? After all these years in Azkaban that _you_ got out from? Let me tell you now, Andromeda, you know nothing of Azkaban.'

'Well, you had twelve years for the optimal experience,' 

Sirius made a motion like he was going to retrieve his wand. Andromeda just stared back, her wand already in her hand.

Sirius glared at her from beneath his dark hair, the grey eyes hard and boring into her own grey. He grinned slightly on noticing the wand, but there was no humour in it. Like Bellatrix, his smile told stories of more attractive ones but Azkaban, probably had taken that from them.

'Looks like your Master taught you how to hold your wand at the very least.'

'He is not my Master.'

'That's what you say,' he said and suddenly, his wand was at her neck.

'There,' he said, satisfied. 'This is an easier position for talking, don't you think?'

'Expelliarmus!' Andromeda shot instead and Sirius' wand flew into the air, zooming upwards. He caught it leisurely, and then pointed it back at her.

'Baby steps?' he taunted, and it reminded Andromeda of a young redhead man, who had died laughing, who had died fighting like a hero.

'You don't want me to duel with you, Sirius.'

'And what's that supposed to mean?'

'That you'll lose,' she replied, her wand level at his throat.

'Now, Andi, you wouldn't kill me, would you?'

'Depends on who's there in the house.'

This wasn't a funny little fight. This was serious. Somewhere between the Azkaban and Regulus comments, something had struck a nerve. Andromeda could see it in his face. She was pretty sure he could see it in her face too.

Sirius had made the first move.

_Who would make the last?_

Remus Lupin walked into number twelve, Grimmauld Place, yawning. He managed to evade Walburga Black's portrait and continued into the kitchen, hoping to spot Sirius there. He wasn't.

So Remus went upstairs to Sirius's room and the sound of a very loud argument reached his ears.

Now that was new. Was there a portrait in Sirius's room as well? He couldn't remember.

Remus knocked on the door but they were drowned out by the sound of Sirius shouting. He sighed and muttered an _alohomora_. The door swung open, revealing Sirius and Andromeda Black with their wands at their throats. Literally.

Remus cleared his throat. Andromeda and Sirius had only met this year since his escape and they had not been particularly close or hostile; they just tried to avoid each other as much as possible.

'Lupin,' Andromeda said, her eyes still on Sirius, her wand still gripped tight.

Sirius turned. 'Remus! When did you get here?'

'Just now.'

'Moony, do me a favour and fuck off for a while.'

'Again, Sirius, Black, what's happening here?'

'Nothing you need to get involved in.' Andromeda said curtly. She was still staring at Sirius.

The Black temper was said to be legendary, that they were hot headed and brutal in their feuds. Perhaps Remus was going to witness his first experience.

Or he could attempt to stop it.

'I repeat, what is going on here?'

'Can you move aside, Lupin?' Andromeda said.

Remus sighed.

'Then you leave me no choice. _Expelliarmus!'_

Unprepared, their wands spun into the air, and Remus caught them expertly.

'There.' he said, feeling very much like he'd just caught two of his students in a fight. Andromeda was probably only two or three years older than Sirius but she seemed to have lost her head too. 'Now we can discuss this like civil adults.'

'Don't know much about civil,' said Sirius.

'Again, what's the problem?' Remus asked, running a hand through his hair.

Both of them didn't answer, they were still staring daggers at each other.

'Black, can you?'

Remus usually called her Andromeda in his mind, so as not to be confused with Sirius, but calling her by her first name in front of her was not something he had any intention of making a habit. Andromeda had always been Black and Remus had always been Lupin and that was how it would be.

'Lupin, this doesn't concern you, so kindly fuck off.'

'Sirius, calm down. Black, you're supposed to be the sensible one, so again, tell me what happened.'

Andromeda bit her lip, looking a lot like Sirius. Her hair was a bit lighter, he was a little taller but apart from that the resemblance was especially striking now. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, glared one last time at her cousin, then sat down on the bed. Sirius looked like he was about to protest that it was his room, and they were to get the hell out, but apparently decided against it at the end. Instead, in a very wise move, he leaned against the head post, as far away from the edge Andromeda was sitting. Remus subconsciously exhaled a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

'So, I have no idea where Dumbledore is,' she began. Remus nodded.

'No one does.'

'And unlike _some_ people, you might know, that I am working as a double agent.'

Again, in a very wise decision, Sirius didn't retort.

'So the Dark Lord has planned to get Potter through a Portkey like the Triwizard last year, but only one way, in Hogsmeade. I am to try to talk with him alone, and then Portkey him to the Ministry. If I don't, a simple crucio would be the least of my pain.'

The way she said the last sentence unnerved Remus. How many people used the adjective simple for the torture curse?

'And no one else can take on this responsibility?' 

'No. You just don't argue with him. I personally think it's the Dark Lord's way of testing my loyalty. After Potter reaches the Ministry, then perhaps the Order could arrive?'

Remus mulled this over a bit.

'That sounds feasible. But how will you let us know?'

'I don't know. I'll have to think about it.'

'I have an idea,' Sirius roughly put in. His eyes were on Remus and his features looked sharper than usual.

'We could use James's mirror. I'll have the other one. Than I can easily Floo in and contact the rest of the Order members.'

'That sounds solid. We could discuss about it in the next meeting, I think.'

'Yeah, we could. If that's sorted I'm leaving.' Andromeda said rapidly, getting up. She fastened her cloak, carefully not looking at Sirius as she left the room.

Remus followed her to the door. She was walking fast, her cloak billowing slightly behind her at the speed. Andromeda stepped out of the house, turned to face Remus and gave him a little smile before she disappeared.

Even when Andromeda had been young, she had never been in a steady relationship. She and Bella had always been in what they called flings. No lost loves; at Hogwarts, the longest she'd gone out with a boy was barely six months. 

Narcissa had never been like that. Andromeda had always believed that, how much ever she and Bella didn't like Lucius, Narcissa always had.

Antonin had been different. Perhaps then, if she hadn't learned on Regulus's death, if she hadn't known of the Horcruxes, she might have become like Bella now, devoted to a man who didn't even deserve to call himself human.

Perhaps then, her world would have been different. Easier. But it would've been wrong.

And all these little hardships, what were they in front of the Greater Good?

She had a high feeling Dumbledore was smiling at her somewhere, his blue eyes twinkling.

Regulus had been eighteen when he died.

Andromeda was nearly thirty eight now.

She had never been much close to Regulus in her early years; he was nearly four years younger. Even when he'd joined, just a few days before his sixteenth birthday, it had been Bellatrix who'd taught him the Unforgivables. Andromeda had never had the skill to teach, or even bring the words on her lips with the proficiency Bellatrix had.

He hadn't been involved much for the first year, being in school, but he did pop in now and then.

The last year of his life had been horrible. Andromeda was rising heavily in ranks inside the circle, and Regulus was just dying, day by day.

_'Baby steps?' Sirius had taunted._

Everything had gone slow in her life, everything except for the hate she got, whose growth was exponential.

Sirius would never know, she thought. He would never know that his little brother had gone to his death with full knowledge that he would die, that it would be painful, that death would not be a relief for him, and this being wartime, perhaps he had believed that the only thing he would be remembered as was a death eater.

Dumbledore had described it in quite some detail, that it forced you to feel your worst memories, to face the most terrible fears. That your throat burned for lack of water, water that was all around, but which you couldn't drink. And the Inferi….

Andromeda could see it now, her little cousin and the house elf, in that small boat Dumbledore had described, sailing. And Kreacher had always been so devoted.

But the elf was dead as well now, dead just a few years after the conclusion of the first war.

And there had been a letter, Dumbledore had said. He had got the whole story out of Kreacher. But it was under the poisonous potion and who had the strength to drink it now?

Andromeda knew she didn't but she did keep in mind that it was an optimal option for a hero's suicide.

'Here. I was about to give it to Harry, because of Umbridge inspecting the mail and all, but well, if it's needed for his safety.' Sirius said, handing over a rectangular package, clad in brown paper.

'You just have to say my name and I'll appear but I'll have to say Harry Potter, fine?'

'Yeah, fine.' Andromeda said, inspecting the small mirror.

'As long as you're saying the truth, Andromeda.'

She looked straight into the familiar grey without blinking, like the intensity of her stare could show him what was going on in her mind.

'I am. And if you don't believe me, you can fuck off.'

_Andromeda,_

_Hope you are doing well. You had mentioned in your last letter that Dumbledore has apparently run away, and that the little bitch, whom I'm presuming is Dolores Umbridge, an extremely delightful woman, has taken full control of Hogwarts._

_Now to the more pressing matter you mentioned- Voldemort's little scheme to get Potter to the Ministry. Well, I have to admit, it does sound plausible enough- on both sides._

_Execution would be easier said than done, I reckon though, but that part is up to you. You have to be convincing enough to show that you had no idea the Order was going to arrive. And again I don't have any idea on where Dumbledore is._

_Apart from that, I know you loathe Umbridge but Andromeda, it's just a matter of time. After all, no Defense Professor has lasted more than a year, have they?_

_Do take care, don't get any sudden noble ideas about self sacrifice, it's not worth it and do kick Black's arse for me. Please._

_Praying for Umbridge's speedy death,_

_Wishing you all the very best,_

_Severus Snape_

Perhaps this letter was motivation enough.


	4. A Glimpse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slight torture scene in this chapter  
> not gore but just in case

Bellatrix's nails were digging into her shoulder, reminding Andromeda of another time, when she'd been about to be Marked, when her sister had clutched her tight, and whispered into her ear.

'Make us proud, Andi. I know you can do it.'

She said the same words now, but she didn't seem to remember that occasion.

There was no Dark Lord now, no terror seeping into her like that time, no shivers running down her spine as he smiled when she gave him her hand, no pain surging through every part of her body.

But the words meant the same- Failure wasn't an option.

'I will do my best.' 

Bella put her hand around Andromeda's waist, sparkling old memories of sitting side by side in the Slytherin Common room. Bella had always been physical with the people she loved, ruffling Regulus's hair, putting an arm around Andromeda's shoulder, wrestling with Sirius as a child, sneaking into her bed as a little girl, kissing Narcissa on the cheek. It still felt the same and Andromeda just didn't understand how.

Antonin Dolohov met her eyes from across the room, a slight smile on his face. She hadn't talked with him after his escape and he hadn't initiated anything either. 

They both knew it was different now, that the people they'd fallen in love with were long since changed to something they themselves didn't recognise.

Despite herself though, she smiled back. A friendly one.

Hogsmeade was as charming as ever, something out of a children's book with the scent of sweets and sounds of whistling filling the air. A slight breeze blew, pushing strands of her hair into her face as she walked along, her heart beating loudly.

She entered the Three Broomsticks, the familiar atmosphere of butterbeer and chatter. She spotted Potter at a table, alone for once. 

'It's time, Potter. We have to leave now.'

He nodded, and they walked out of the pub and into the street. They finally stopped at an empty side alley and Andromeda handed him the Portkey, a rusted and bent key.

She then pulled out Sirius's mirror and said clearly.

'Sirius Black.'

Her cousins face filled the mirror.

'We will be there at the Ministry in a few seconds.'

He nodded, winked at Potter and then his image faded.

'Now on the count of three -'

The familiar jerk pulled her to the Ministry's atrium and they landed on the floor heavily. They quickly got up, and Andromeda headed towards the lift and now they were travelling deeper below to the Department of Mysteries.

'So, I hope you know what to do, Potter. If you don't understand, just play along. I'm the death eater here, not the Order member.'

He nodded, examining his wand idly as the lift gates clung open, and they stepped out, to the dangerous room inside. She was the one who knew the way so she led him into the Hall of Prophecies, her wand gripped tightly.

'On row ninety seven, there's a small crystal orb with your name on it. A prophecy on you and the Dark Lord. And before you ask, Dumbledore will brief you on it later. If he doesn't I'll tell you myself. Now go get the Prophecy.'

He had to stand on tip toe to reach for the prophecy, but he managed to get it, and looked at it for a few seconds, his fingers tracing the letters. Andromeda had more important work to do. She rolled up her sleeve and after a small glance at the mark on her skin, she pressed her hand on it, summoning the Dark Lord. Her hand was on fire, it had been ages since she'd done this and the pain felt more than she remembered.

Just a few seconds and both sides would be here. Just a few seconds and this burning would cease.

The sound of footsteps made Potter turn and Lucius Malfoy and Antonin Dolohov walked into the Hall.

'Andromeda,' Lucius said, sounding pleased.

'You have done well,'

Antonin caught her eye and she forced herself to blink, trying to look away. He didn't say anything.

'Now Potter,' she said, in a loud voice.

'Hand me that little glass ball now, will you?'

He made the slightest jerk towards the right, snarled a 'Like hell I will!' and then shot a reducto.

Blasting the Department of Mysteries was definitely not what he was supposed to do.

The front rack collapsed, taking with it, a little of the aisle in front and Potter had managed to lose himself in the mess.

'Do not kill him. It's the Dark Lord's orders that he will be the one to kill the boy.' she shouted before following Malfoy into the wreckage.

_'Bombarda!'_

She levitated the broken pieces of wood out of her away, while maintaining a lumos; it was getting dark and not just because of the night. She deliberately fell down once, wasting some seconds to supposedly heal her ankle but didn't repeat that trick again. It was too cheap for them to fall for it again.

Potter had, by some inane amount of luck, nearly escaped them and reached the door. He spelled it open and Antonin chased him. She followed. Potter sprinted through another door, the room of Time, and he smashed a glass cabinet for good measure. Lucius was on Antonin's heels, shooting a diffindo to Potter's side. Andromeda managed to just bring up the rear, not too far behind but not even half as fast as she usually was. She still cast spells though but made sure half of them went in the wrong direction. Potter was at a headstart, crashing heavy artifacts down, a small cut on his nose. But Antonin was catching up and she saw the familiar purple slash in the air, heard a sigh, a _thump_ , another loud crack and then she realised.

The Order of the Phoenix had arrived.

She sped up now, next to Lucius Malfoy and said, 'The Order has arrived, we will need reinforcements! Lucius, you call the Dark Lord, and I have to leave, if they see me here, then they'll know which side I'm on, look you call for more, Antonin has Potter now, just tell him to keep up,'

'Right. You better leave then Andromeda, I'll take care, you go…'

She turned on the spot, apparating into the Atrium. Andromeda pulled out the mirror and whispered Sirius's name. There was no answer. Then it was most likely that he was in the fighting. She couldn't go there, because she was useless there. Because each side thought she was on theirs and that the other thought the same so she was not to be risked until at least one of them was gaining.

She was itching to get her wand out, to join the fight, to savour the taste of victory because that was her adrenaline. That feeling was her autopilot. And she didn't want to stay cooped up in an office, with stacks of ungraded papers lying around. Should she leave? She didn't want to, she wanted to fight, was her sister there? She didn't know, and if everything went by plan, Potter would live, but nothing ever went by plan, oh Merlin, she was thinking too much, that's what….

Leave Andromeda. Leave. You're useless to anyone dead.

Andromeda settled into one of Grimmauld Place's guest rooms, twirling her wand, not able to concentrate enough to go to Hogwarts where her office would remind her of all the essays to be marked. She'd been trying to remember the spell she'd used to braid her hair back then when the Dark Mark burned.

It had probably been nearly an hour since she left, so the fight must have ended. She stood up, her left arm a stabbing presence as she walked out of the house to apparate.

Andromeda was in one of the many grand rooms in Malfoy Manor, standing beside her sister, who was paler than usual, her mask on and chest heaving. The Dark Lord sat on a chair like his throne, as he looked at them all, and she could feel slight pressure on her head. She looked at the red eyes, thinking of telling Lucius she had to leave, of asking Potter to give her the prophecy.

'I believed we could have got that prophecy today, but no, my Death Eaters have failed me once again. I am most displeased by this. The Order wasn't waiting for us, they came after you when you were chasing the Potter boy, so till then , what were you doing, Dolohov, Lucius? Could you not catch a mere fifteen year old brat? The rest of you, you may leave. Andromeda, stay.'

The last word was like ice in her heart. Bellatrix's face was still hidden, but she could feel her sister put an arm around her before disapparating out.

Antonin, Malfoy and Andromeda stood in a line, eyes lowered, hearts racing.

'I am most disappointed with you three. Some of my highest ranked and yet, you have failed. Lord Voldemort is merciful but not all the time. Lucius, money isn't everything, is it? _Crucio!'_

She watched as her brother in law writhed on the ground, his throat failing to find coherent words.

Then the curse hit again. And again.

A strangled noise came out of Lucius's mouth, and then his head hit the floor loudly before the Dark Lord ended the curse.

'I am being merciful, Lucius. You have failed me, but the ones here have failed me even more. Dolohov, is this what you got out of Azkaban for?'

'My Lord,' he said, kneeling next to Lucius still on the ground, struggling to get up. Antonin's accent was heavier than usual as he continued.

'I still believe I did my best. You had ordered us not to hurt the boy or the prophecy and the boy was smashing everything in his way, including half of the Hall of Prophecies and most of the time turners.'

The snake like nostrils flared slightly as he hissed.

'I take no excuses, Dolohov.'

Andromeda forced herself to look at her boots, because Antonin was shaking on the floor badly, but he hadn't made a sound. The silence was excruciating, the only noises being the slight thump of Antonin writhing on the ground. 

She knew what was going to happen to her would be far worse than this. The best for the last, they said.

Antonin still hadn't made a single sound and she didn't know how he could handle that much. Andromeda knew she couldn't. Her hands were shaking slightly, and she tucked strands of hair behind her ear. 

'Andromeda,' His voice was soft. She saw the thin lips curve into some resemblance of a smile. She didn't like that smile.

'I have always admired that about you, that unlike the others, you accept what is going to happen. You do not provide me excuses, you do not beg to show mercy. You, Andromeda, you know when to talk and when not to. I have always liked that. A true Slytherin. But again, you have not fullfilled what I asked you to. And you know, of course, that there shall be consequences.'

She met his eyes. 'Yes.'

There. That smile. He was still smiling when the Cruciatus hit her. The marble floor was cold, and her arm was still burning. She felt like she was being stabbed by a thousand knives, pain burning in her veins, the cold floor harsh. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, as the side of her head hit the floor with force. The pain was blinding, her eyes closed as she bit harder. The metallic taste of blood hit her tongue, dripped down her chin slightly. The Dark Lord looked at her now.

'I regret it, Andromeda but it is needed. A small reminder.' The voice was cold like the floor, unlike the white hot pain surging through her body.

A deep gash cut into her cheek and the Cruciatus curse hit again. Blood was flowing from the cut, her body was trembling, and her head hurt. The knives seemed to be sharper now, the stabbing pain burning as she finally opened her mouth and screamed. Her own shouts of pain echoed in her ears, as the blood in her mouth dribbled down her chin. Andromeda's voice was hoarse as she screamed, her legs shaking as her head hit the floor again.

The curse hit. Andromeda closed her mouth, she would not scream again, she could handle this, she could, but her vision was laced with red, and blood filled her mouth once more.

The crucio ended. The cut on her cheek deepened, seeping blood onto the marble floor. 

What had she said to Lupin?

_A simple crucio would be the least of my problems._

Bellatrix had been waiting for her, apparently, when she walked out of the Manor to apparate back. 

'Andi! Merlin, I didn't expect it would be this bad, oh my, I'm sorry, Andi, I'm sorry…' The rest just escaped her head, because her vision was slightly blurring, her head hurt.

Bellatrix would never be able to cast a healing spell on her, and the Cruciatus curse's effects were not something she could heal. Bellatrix was trying to clear the blood, but she didn't have it in her to know those spells, and even if she once had, the dementors had snatched it away.

'Where do you have to go? Hogwarts? I'll take you side along if you want, if you'd just been a bit faster in catching that half blood brat,'

'Bellatrix,' Andromeda whispered. 'I can go on my own. You'd better leave or he'll be angry for that as well,'

Bella looked at her through heavily lidded eyes, sighed, and suddenly grabbed her hand tight.

'You could have been faster, better….'

And she disappeared.

Andromeda would have to go to Grimmauld Place first, she wanted to know how the fight had gone. She tried to turn on the spot, but her body was aching and she almost fell down herself. Andromeda took deep breaths, clutched her wand for familiarity and disapparated.

She landed on the front porch of Number twelve, and knocked on the door. She waited for someone to open it as she stood in the dark night, cold wind blowing around. Andromeda knocked again.

It felt like hours had passed when the door opened, though it had barely been a few minutes.

Her cousin opened the door, about to say something but stopped at the look of her. Sirius blinked twice, eyes widening.

She knew she must look a mess, with blood and drool dribbled over her chin, her lips bleeding,hair disheveled and probably matted a bit with blood.

'What the fuck happened to you?' he burst out, opening the door wider. 

'Get in, fast, Andromeda-' Sirius gripped her hand, pulling her inside. 

'Oh, I'm fine, just-'

'Shut up, Andromeda, you are not fine, your head is bleeding,'

They walked past the house elf heads, the umbrella stand and then a small drawing room.

'I'll sit on the sofa,' she heard herself saying. 'I'll stay there for the night and leave for Hogwarts in the morning, thanks Sirius,'

She sat down and Sirius called for Lupin.

'Remus! Remus can you come here quickly?'

Her head hurt.

Lupin entered from the kitchen. 

'What happened? Didn't everyone leave already?' he asked as he walked towards Sirius and then caught sight of her on the sofa, her face pale and blood all over.

'Black? But she wasn't in the fighting, was she? Sirius? Black, what happened?'

She leaned back, trying to ignore the white hot pain building again and started to speak.

'The Dark Lord's punishment for failure, me, Malfoy and Antonin Dolohov, because we were the ones who had to get to Potter, and really, I'm fine, just a bit shaken,'

'Just a bit shaken, you say. Andromeda what did he do?'

'You can't do anything, there's no antidote for the Cruciatus and that wound isn't something you can heal, thanks anyway,'

'That doesn't look like just the Cruciatus-'

'I think I hit my head on the floor at some point, I'll be fine, I've faced worse, I've _done_ worse.'

'Andromeda-'

'We could try heal that head wound maybe,' said Lupin and pulled out his wand. 'Or at least clear all that blood, you seem to have bitten your lip hard…'

She really needed to get rid of that habit.

Dumbledore had, in his usual style, appeared at the right moment, saved Harry Potter, who had rewarded him with a huge tantrum, dueled a bit with the Dark Lord, and revealed to the public everything Fudge had desperately been hiding, but he had not managed to avoid the death of one person, the Order's one casualty, Dakota Tonks, one of their newest recruits.

Andromeda had not known this young girl, full of life, with a sense of humour that shone, a proud Hufflepuff. She did not know this girl, whose last name might have been hers if something had continued, this girl who might as well have been her daughter in another world. When she saw Ted Tonks in Diagon Alley, nearly twenty years later, she barely recognised him. Maybe her memories had diminished, or maybe he had.

She met his eyes, blue and bright, and she remembered feeling like a rebel for even talking to him because that was defiance, that was doing something because she wanted to. She could have been stronger and she would have never gone down this path. But for a fourteen year old, words and a disapproving slap was more than enough to remind her who she was. Andromeda _Black_ would not be seen with a mudblood.

(It had all been easier then, black and white in her head.)

Now she met his eyes and there was a flicker of recognition, a slight smile, then a grimace.

Gone.

He looked far older than he actually was in that long moment when he met her eyes and saw Andromeda _Black_ , Death Eater, most notorious for killing Fabian Prewett and not the fourth year Slytherin with the sleek brown hair and grey eyes, who looked like she could conquer the world one day, who didn't like nicknames, if it weren't her sisters, a girl who was named after the stars.

That girl was gone. And so was his daughter.

Gone.

When she entered Dumbledore's office, the man looked miserable, the white in his beard suddenly sharp, like she'd never realised he was an old man.

'Andromeda. Sit down, please.'

'You told Potter about the prophecy.'

'I did. He didn't take it very well.'

Andromeda might have snorted, but she had not been brought up like that. Instead she said,

'Really, Dumbledore, telling a fifteen year old it's either him or a Dark Lord who might even surpass Grindelwald. When would processing that ever be easy?'

'It is not just that. It's everything that's happened this year. It is clarity. Harry's has seen Voldemort duelling, finally. He has understood the truth.'

'Are you going to tell him about the Horcruxes?' she asked.

'Most probably,' he said in his Dumbledore way, never a direct answer with that man. He shook his head slightly and looked at her, eyes not twinkling.

'How are you now?' Dumbledore asked, eyeing the gash on her cheek, which still hadn't healed.

'I'll be fine. The cut might scar, I think, but it will heal. The head wound, that will take time. It's mostly covered by my hair, but well. I will be fine, Dumbledore. I've faced worse, I've done worse.'

'Does not mean that you deserve it. Do not put yourself down, Andromeda. We need you now, way more than before. Your past cannot be changed now, how much ever you wish to. This War needs you.'

'Maybe,' she allowed.

And the man who detested straight answers, looked her in the eye and said,

'No maybe's. We need you.'

'You flatter me, Dumbledore. There's no need for it. I will keep my word, don't worry.'

'I trust you.'

She didn't believe it.

'Nice to know. How many Horcruxes are there, anyway?'

'Horace says seven. We have already destroyed three- the locket, the ring and the diary. One part will still be in his body of course, so that leaves us with three more.'

'The snake? Nagini?'

'Yes, but that is for the last. Once Voldemort gets to know that we're hunting his Horcruxes, he will not leave the snake out of his sight. We will have to operate fast. This year is nearly over, and Voldemort is only gaining.'

'Let's hope it won't be like that for long.' she said, idly twisting her fingers together.

'It won't. Voldemort believes in the prophecy, and that is all we need. Now, I have been meaning to ask, what is Peter Pettigrew's status among Voldemort's circle?'

'Pettigrew? He hasn't been seen much lately. I mean, he did help in the Dark Lord's return, but he doesn't care for him much. And he isn't that competent, I believe.

'But he is ready to try and fullfill the task given. He is afraid, you could say.'

'And that is a danger. He is scared, you say, that is a danger. He will yearn to prove himself now, and that will not end good for us. You say he is not competent, Andromeda but he has managed to evade Azkaban for twelve years and bring back a dark lord single handedly. Do not make that mistake, do not underestimate him,'

'You want me to kill him?' she asked bluntly.

Dumbledore's eyes didn't meet hers.

'It would be beneficial.'

The OWLs had ended, and Hogwarts was rejoicing. Umbridge was still there but apart from that Andromeda had no qualms. She was in her office now, organising reports before she left for the end of term feast when there was a soft knock on the door.

She opened the door and her nephew stood in the doorway, alone.

'Draco? What is it?' He shuffled inside without being asked. 

'Needed to tell you something.'

'Sit down then,' she said and took up position across his chair.

'You were right,' he said. 'You said they would ask me to join, and Father has already started slipping hints in letters from home, ever since that debacle with Potter in the ministry. He will push me to get Marked, by this summer, I'm sure. And Mother doesn't want me to, but it all depends. You were right though. I won't join till I'm seventeen. I'll tell them that very strongly. Not till I'm seventeen.'

'That is good to hear, Draco. And tell your mother to get a bit more spine.'

'My mother has enough spine. And whatever other complaints you have, tell that to her yourself. I'm not an owl.'

'Me telling Narcissa to grow some spine? I'd be better suited training Potter to be a potions master.'

'It's not like my mother hates you. She does talk about you and all,' he said.

'And what does she say about me?' Andromeda asked.

'That she's still your sister. She told me stories about you three, you know? When I was younger, I mean. Now she mainly refers to you as my professor.'

Andromeda didn't say anything for a while and there was a silence. Draco opened his mouth and she thought he was going to leave but instead he asked,

'How old were you when you joined?'

'Me? A few months after graduation, seventeen and a half, eighteen you could say.'

'Did your parents ask you to join?'

'Your _grandparents_ and no, they didn't. I joined mainly because of Bellatrix, your other aunt.'

'I know Bellatrix Lestrange is my aunt. And I barely knew my grandparents, I don't remember meeting them much.' he said, white blonde hair slightly falling into his eyes.

'They didn't like children.'

'Aha. And they're your parents?' Draco asked rhetorically, his nose crinkling a little.

'That's what we were told.' 

Draco laughed. She did, too.


	5. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The task: kill Emmeline Vance

The task was easy: kill Emmeline Vance.

The execution wasn't.

Antonin Dolohov walked in front of her, wand at the ready. Anyone else and she would have killed them and said they'd died in the fight with Emmeline Vance. But this was Antonin Dolohov, someone she'd actually known and talked to and spent time with, and so Andromeda didn't have the spine to do it.

It was nearly nine and the sky had gone dark. Antonin blasted the door off its hinges and stepped in. There were loud voices from inside and then footsteps. A middle aged woman stood at the door, wand in hand and dressed in a muggle suit.

'Death Eaters, you fucking-' 

She shot a diffindo towards Antonin and they started to duel. Andromeda ran into the house instead, into the dining room with dirty plates still on the table, and went upstairs to the two bedrooms. One of them was empty, but the other had an old woman sleeping in it.

_'I want it to be clean. No witnesses to be left.'_

The woman was still in her sleep, she hadn't stirred even with all the ruckus Antonin and Vance were creating. Andromeda twirled her wand, hesitating. She didn't want to kill anymore than she had already done, and not an old waman in her sleep. Maybe it was better this way, a peaceful death. But Andromeda for all that she had been sorted into Slytherin, didn't want to kill an old lady who was still lost in sleep. Well, what did it matter, what she wanted? She cast a spell to make a lot of noise, and saw the old woman stir.

She repeated the noise a few more times and the woman got up, finally. Rubbing the sleep away from her eyes, she asked groggily.

'Emme, what's happening? What's that noise!-'

Green light illuminated her face and she was dead before she hit the ground.

Andromeda didn't wait long enough to see the woman hit the ground, she was running down the stairs two at a time and reached the front room where Vance was still alive and shooting curses.

Vance gasped loudly when she saw Andromeda.

'My mother!' she screamed. 'My mother, you bitch, what did you do to her?'

Andromeda saw purple light and Emmeline Vance was no more. Antonin looked at her, and then at the woman on the floor, her eyes wide open and glassy.

'She put up a good fight, you know? If you hadn't come down at that time, she might have even won.'

Andromeda didn't know what to say. What did he mean?

But the night wasn't yet over and Andromeda had other work to do.

Or to be precise, kill Peter Pettigrew.

'That boy!' Bellatrix shrieked, her eyes glittering.

They were standing at some random place, a few miles away from Hogsmeade.

'Oh, the nerve of him! It's such a great honour and the boy doesn't realise. When we take back what is ours, it will be those who were there for him who will be rewarded beyond their dreams! And the little brat doesn't understand at all! He flat out denies it, by Merlin. What's he thinking? And Narcissa doesn't even open her damn mouth.'

Andromeda didn't say that it was she who had told Draco all that. She felt inexplicably proud of a boy she had barely known for five years.

'It's not like we don't have enough people, Bellatrix. If Draco doesn't want to, then what's the problem?'

'Draco,' she mocked, in a horrible baby voice. 'Spoiled little brat. And you as well, joining his side.'

'Oh, lay it off Bellatrix.'

'So you agree with the boy?' she asked, her voice dangerous. Bella had always had a temper, but Azkaban had worsened it, and her moods were unpredictable. She didn't meet up with her sister a lot, only at Death Eater meetings and raids and the occasional talk at some spot near Hogwarts, which wasn't more than once in a month or two. But she saw enough of her to tell Bellatrix wasn't the same.

Oh. Understatement of the year.

Andromeda stared right back.

'I'm telling he's not worth it. The boy's barely sixteen, he's more of a liability than an asset. Or have you been listening to Lucius's gloating on his wonderful son?'

That diverted her attention. Pure blood or brother in law, she didn't like Lucius Malfoy. 

'Merlin knows what she sees in him,' she grumbled like Narcissa was seventeen and seeing a boy she didn't like.

'Fine enough then, Andi. By the way, did you hear Pettigrew's missing? The guy who ratted on the Potters. He even looks like a rat.'

'Oh really?' Andromeda asked sarcastically.

Peter Pettigrew wasn't missing, the rat was dead. And she might have been responsible for it…

* * *

Summer arrived and so did Ministry pamphlets. Due to the skirmish at the Ministry, Fudge could no longer continue the same drivel. Fudge himself hadn't been there to witness Dumbledore and the Dark Lord's duell, but the whole Order could vouch for it, and Potter had taken the chance to inform the public about what had happened last June as well as the Department of Mysteries, through the Quibbler, who sold it to the Daily Prophet, who published it wide scale, positively usurping Fudge's position if he didn't take action.

Andromeda herself wasn't explicitly mentioned by Potter in the interview, she was mentioned as Dumbledore's contact or some vague term like that. The chosen one business wasn't yet widely known but enough rumours had started to surface about it. Therefore, the pamphlets. Fudge wouldn't be removed yet, because there wasn't any point. What use was a minister of magic when the bigger players had started to level up the ground into a game he had no part in? Fudge was a politician and therefore, couldn't be trusted.

Dumbledore had already been reinstated on the Wizengamot and was starting to increase protection laws and security measures, all of which were heavily publicized by the Prophet, which had quickly decided that Potter, who had been shunned and scorned at by the papers, was now their tragic hero, so Fudge had gone out of favour.

The Dark Lord was another issue.

So far, the attacks and raids were relatively soft than they'd been in the last war, but it was just starting. The attacks weren't random, they were carefully premeditated; he wanted a silent, subtle coup, not a bloodthirsty and outspoken revolution. Order members were carefully chosen; Emmeline Vance was just one of the many casualties. Major, intense raids were yet to happen, it had been relatively one sided for now. That didn't mean the Prophet didn't dramatize it.

People hadn't yet absorbed it completely, which was all the easier for the Death Eaters to slip into the Ministry, into the general public. Bellatrix was still mad on her nephew not joining, but Narcissa didn't seem to mind that much. It was awkward at Malfoy Manor whenever she visited, Rabastan looking strangely at her, Bella glaring at Lucius, and Narcissa trying to avoid a one-to-one conversation. 

Peter Pettigrew was strangely forgotten.

* * *

_Andromeda,_

_Hear things are catching up in Britain. Potter has now become a staple for the newspapers, I see and Voldemort is still scheming to kill him._

_At any rate, you might like to know that Dumbledore needs a competent DADA teacher for the upcoming year, and I might be needed.._

_Or maybe it's you and the old fool is meddling with me._

_Whatever the outcome of the job interview is, I will have to return. Things seem to be getting worse, and comfortable though it is to stay abroad, a war is rising and we all have to do our bit._

_Oh and kick Black's arse._

_Yours,_

_Severus Snape._

_Severus,_

_Hope you are doing well and yes, all that you've been hearing about is mostly true. About you coming to Hogwarts, Dumbledore hasn't mentioned anything. But there's no need for you to be a professor- it's of practically no use. Again, I'm only teaching for the spying and protection. You would be more helpful and I dare say happier doing something else. You don't seem to get along with children. Nor do I, to say the truth but you're worse._

_The Prophet is taking Dumbledore and Potter's side for now, either for public interest or actually wanting to report the news properly. The Dark Lord, of course, isn't hindered about any of this, and most of the free Death Eaters are already in the Ministry and small jobs in Diagon Alley. Narcissa's son, who is sixteen, was, sort of, ordered to join, but he has completely refused any part in the war till he's of age._

_I feel strangely proud about it._

_The rest is going on normal, and like hell you'll beat me in an interview. You'd just go 'As long there aren't any children'._

_And for the thousandth time, kick Sirius's arse yourself._

_Regards,_

_Andromeda Black_

* * *

At the next death eater meeting, a few days into July, the Dark Lord announced that Cornelius Fudge was under an imperio.

Which meant that the Minister, if not the Ministry was in his control.

This side was gaining, and if things changed at the rate they were going, her loyalties might have to be truly revealed as well. Soon.

If Bellatrix thought she wasn't as pleased as she should be, she didn't say anything.

When Andromeda revealed this little fact to the Order, the general response was a sigh of frustration.

'He was bad enough when he thought for himself,' Sirius grumbled.

'God knows how his fashion sense is going to be now. You don't reckon he's gonna get one of those tattoos, eh?' That was Bill Weasley. He got a sharp glare and wisely looked somewhere else.

'Leaving the hideous dressing sense, what's he planning to achieve with imperiusing Fudge when he has literally no public support?' Arthur Weasley asked.

'Public support will mean nothing in front of bribes.' a woman shot.

'The world doesn't need a minister now. What we need are armies, not a bunch of middle aged men with a fondness for lime green bowler hats.' someone said.

'Precisely,' Andromeda said. 'The Dark Lord doesn't need the Ministry; he has enough resources to storm Hogwarts. What he wants is control, either a dictatorship, which would be difficult, or a subtle little coup that gives rise to a puppet government. What I mean is, it's not Fudge who is the problem, it's the employees and those who are involved in the fighting. Neutrality is not an option in this War. Our numbers are nearly equal this time, and we have a prophecy he believes in, safe in our hands. Both sides have equal chances to win and we will all have to fight for it.'

Sirius glanced at her from across the table, as if he silently agreed but didn't want to show it. Andromeda looked away and instead met the eyes of Remus Lupin.

'I reckon you're right.' he said. The Waesleys nodded and soon enough everyone shifted onto other topics.

Severus arrived exactly a week before the tenth of August, and set up residence in his old house in a Muggle area. He had written that he would be coming to Grimmauld Place and so, Andromeda was waiting inside the main hall. The meeting had ended and most of the members, except Arthur Weasley and Remus Lupin, had left. She hadn't warned Sirius about this news, and was looking forward to seeing the look on his face when he saw Severus Snape.

She heard some muffled grumbling and footsteps and Severus Snape came into view. His lanky hair hung in strings and he looked paler, but there was actually some resemblance of a smile on his face.

'Andromeda.'

'Severus. How's it going?'

'Delightful. The Ministry is as competent as ever, o note.' he said and shrugged of a travelling cloak before settling into a chair designed with patterns of silver snakes.

'Tell me something I don't know.' she said and sat down across him. His lips curved and he said snidely,

'Dumbledore's firing you, Andromeda.'

'Yeah, and you're in love with Sirius.'

He rolled his eyes. 'I am not, but you seem to have missed the point. You're fired and I'm taking on as the Potions Master.'

'Dumbledore didn't say anything.'

'I hear he likes to surprise people.'

'I hear you're going to die a bloody, painful death.'

'Maybe,' he acknowledged. 'But you've still lost your job. To me.'

'Oh, piss off Severus.'

'And here I thought you actually wanted to see me. That hurt, Andromeda.'

'Oh Merlin, I've offended _Severus_ _Snape!_ Shall I get you a Pumpkin Pasty?'

'It would surely sooth my hurt feelings.'

'You have feelings?'

'You've broken my heart now,'

This was getting insane. She was nearly thirty nine years old, and here she was, shooting insults that would sound stupid for a five year old.

He laughed. 'Can't get a comeback?'

'I was about to say that this is getting ridiculous and we need to stop.'

'Whatever you say.'

'Shut your mouth, Snape.'

'Fine, it's getting ridiculous, I know.'

Andromeda chuckled. Severus glared.

Turned out he'd been right. 

'It would be highly appreciated, Andromeda, if you could take on the DADA position for this year.' Dumbledore said, peering at her through half moon glasses. 

'Why, you don't want me to survive the year?'

His eyes twinkled in appreciation of the humour, and replied,

'Of course not, merely that you will no longer need a job at Hogwarts from this year on.'

'If you think that the War will end by this year, then you're being hopelessly optimistic.' 

'Hope is the only thing we can hold onto in such times.' He said in his Dumbledore way, folding his hands together.

'You were always good at being eloquent, Dumbledore. Now, back to the question.'

His eyes stopped twinkling, the humour disappeared from his face. In that moment he looked like what he was- an old man. His voice was flat as he continued on.

'The war may or may not end by this year. But you will not be needed the next year as a Professor, Andromeda. Because at the speed things are escalating, sooner or later you will have to choose a side and fight for it. You have been invaluable for us so long. But let me be honest, I have little leverage on you. It's entirely your choice. I have been truthful to you all this time. I can only hope you will be loyal to us too.'

The man was a bloody liar. He wasn't completely truthful with anyone. 

'Flattered, Dumbledore. But I've chosen my side the day I joined this school. And I intend to stand by it.' Andromeda said and looked him in the eye. Her voice didn't convince herself but Dumbledore nodded. He held her gaze for a few seconds and she blinked first.

'Thank you, Andromeda. Thank you.'

Even a fool could've seen that he was lying and Andromeda was no fool. She looked at him again and found something like pride in his eyes. But he didn't believe her all the same. He didn't believe anyone that much. 

'Is Snivellus coming over again?' Sirius asked, standing at the banister of Andromeda's room at Grimmauld Place. She was arranging some of her things in the spare room, finally deciding on having one of the spare rooms as a place to stay.

Andromeda looked up from where her socks were levitating in the air, trying to fold themselves.

'If you mean Severus, yes he probably will.'

' _Severus,'_ he mocked. 'Why can't you both meet somewhere else?'

'Oh for Merlin's sake, why can't we meet here? You let Fletcher in, of all people!'

'Snape's a greasy git, that's why.'

'And you're an immature prat, but you don't see us complaining, do you?' she retorted.

'It's my house. Whether I'm a prat or not is out of the question.' He was enjoying this little debacle, the arse.

'I thought you didn't like the house?'

'Hell no. But it's mine, all the same. And greasy gits with abnormal noses are not allowed.'

She looked up now, rolling her eyes. 'Your insults could make a five year old sound intelligent.'

'And your retorts wouldn't impress a toddler.'

'Toddlers would be impressed by your tantrums. They'd probably take notes.'

'Well,' he said pompously. 'I do aspire to be an inspiration.'

'And a devestation for parents.'

'You're spoiling my moment.'

'Which moment? The one where you thank your parents for making you the wonderful human being you are?' Despite herself, she was grinning.

Sirius grimaced. 'I am a wonderful human being. But I'd skip the parents part.'

'Probably.'

'You're diverting me from the topic, now. The point is, Snivellus is not allowed in my house.'

'You didn't even know he was here till Weasley told you.' 

He scoffed. 'Doesn't matter. I don't want to see that git in my house.'

'Well, you can always rent a flat and leave the place to me. I hear there's a very nice room at Knockturn Alley.'

'Not happening, Andromeda. But all the same, Snape would like that sort of an atmosphere. You both can go meet there and compare snake tattoos.'

'Severus is not a death eater.'

'Never said he was. He's just a grouchy scumbag.'

She rolled her eyes.

'Anyway, you can't stop us. Number twelve is where we're going to meet and that's it. Plus, he's an Order member, you can't keep him out.'

'Oh, shut up. Just because he's a member doesn't mean you both can gallivant around my house.'

'Gallivant? Do you even know what that means?' She asked and he gave a wide smile.

'I know enough.' He winked.

She scoffed. 'Has anyone ever told you you're horrible at flirting?'

'Flirting? Cuz, if you think this is flirting, you don't know the first thing about it.'

'I meant the line about gallivanting.' she said, slightly smirking on the expression on his face. He looked at her awkwardly.

'Er, that wasn't flirting. And I'll have you know, there's literally a fanclub for my rakish good looks somewhere.'

'Uh-huh. Probably with some obnoxious name like dedication to the heartthrob of Hogwarts or something.'

'Now that's a horrible name. I was thinking more on the line of Sirius Black's sexy adventures-'

'Oh, stop,Sirius.'

'That's not what she said. Sorry, couldn't resist. I think James made a list of pickup lines to impress Lily, and there was this amazing one I contributed to, Merlin, what was it…'

'I don't want to hear it,' she said automatically.

Sirius gave a slightly mad grin, as he sat down on the bed, twisting and untwisting his fingers. He sighed softly.

'I can't remember,' he said. 'I can't remember anything.'

'I can't remember, Andi,' Bella said. 'I can't remember anything.' 

Bellatrix bit her lip as she looked down at her boots. They were standing somewhere in one of the many flamboyant rooms at Malfoy Manor, and Andromeda was leaning against the wall, next to a mirror which was spitting insults every five minutes. Bella looked up. 'It was on Cissy's birthday, I think. It was her birthday-'

'It wasn't. It was Regulus's graduation.'

'Oh, wait, but, there was Firewhiskey somewhere-'

'That was for your fourteenth.' 

Bellatrix looked at Andromeda through heavily lidded eyes. She laughed suddenly, more like a cackle. Andromeda flinched.

'Why, Andi?' Her voice was deathly soft, and on some sudden impulse, Bella put her hand around Andromeda's waist.

'Why can't I remember?'

Andromeda shook her head slightly. Bellatrix's hand was tight, and when they were young it had been security. It had been something reassuring. 

And it still felt the same.

'Bella,'

She withdrew her hand. 

The anti Muggle born drafts started a month before Hogwarts reopened. It started slow, with the Ministry firing the muggle born employees for undefined reasons and flimsy excuses. Ministry employees who were still in office, deemed that in such turbulent times, jobs were more important than ethics. Hogwarts usually registered blood status, but this year it was made public record. People were constantly reminded of the last War, as well as the underlying messages in the new Ministry pamphlets.

The term mudbloods didn't evoke as many outbursts as it did before.

Two weeks before the first of September, the walls of Diagon Alley were painted with racial slurs. The Ministry didn't bother. The Daily Prophet did. Vehemently.

The Dark Lord was pleased. 

* * *

Granger and Weasley were standing at the kitchen, and Potter was talking with Sirius. The Prophet was on the table and Andromeda caught sight of the headline. It was about the slurs painted on the walls in Diagon Alley and since they no longer supported Fudge, the Ministry was to blame.

'This is _horrible,_ Hermione!' Weasley said and then glanced at Andromeda. She shook her head slightly as if to say that, no it wasn't Death Eaters.

Sirius looked up. 'If the Prophet is reporting, things are getting worse.'

'The Prophet has been anti Ministry for a while,' Granger said.

'Anti Fudge,' she corrected. 'If they get a popular minister, they might change their views.'

'We're not going to be relying on the Ministry at any time.' Sirius shrugged.

'The Ministry is highly infiltrated. Nearly everyone knows War is inevitable. It's possible the general public may protest for Muggle borns. It is possible they may not.' Andromeda said.

Potter looked at her. 'No one can afford to be neutral now.'

'They can always run away.' Weasley said.

'They shouldn't!' Granger protested. 'This is their country, their home.'

'Not everyone puts their country first.'

'Well, they should! If a War's going on, neutrality essentially means you're doing nothing.'

Potter gave an amused smile. 'Not everyone thinks like you, Hermione.' he said fondly.

Sirius caught Andromeda's eye and grinned. He wasn't going to try set them up, now?

Instead she sat down at the table, reaching forward for a cup of coffee and stretched out the newspaper. There was another major headline- Podmore had been jailed for 'disrupting public peace violently' which probably meant he'd been caught speaking for muggle borns or something. The Prophet had highly criticized this sentence and on the next page was a picture of her sister. Her hair was scraggly, her lidded eyes half closed as she looked down at whoever had taken the photo arrogantly, an eyebrow slightly raised.

 _Bellatrix Lestrange seen in recent attack on Diagon Alley,_ the headline read.

Andromeda herself hadn't been part of it, but Bella had elaborated the details.

( _The feeling of freedom, Andi. Holding your wand and knowing you have that_ power, _it's exhilarating. That feeling of euphoria, Andi, I could die for it)_

Andromeda continued to read on, somewhere between inefficient Ministry and anecdotes of the last War, as well as snide comments on Fudge. Sirius prodded her shoulder.

'What?'

'Were you there in the attack?' 

She shook her head. 

'Lestrange was there?'

'You mean Bellatrix or the brothers?'

'Bellatrix.' He didn't like saying that, like he had once been on a nickname basis with her.

'There's literally a picture of her on the page." 

'Can't believe anything the Prophet reports.' he said.

'It's true,' Andromeda said, leaning back. 'She told me about it.'

'So you still talk to her?' His tone was accusing.

'I have to maintain an image.'

'Lies,' he scoffed and reached for some toast.

She ignored him, because he was kind of right, she didn't meet with her sister just to maintain an image though that was part of it. Instead, she glanced at Granger and Weasley, who were saying something about too dangerous and family and country and honour, and honestly, Ronald. 

Potter, sensing a long session coming on, asked loudly,

'Professor, will I still need to come for Occlumency sessions?'

That made Granger turn.

'Mostly not,' Andromeda said. ‘Dumbledore believes that the Dark Lord will not attempt such tactics again.’

‘Very reassuring for Harry, I’m sure.’

  
  
  
  



End file.
